Online retailer Alibaba has announced plans to host an 11.11 countdown gala in the hours leading up to the annual 11.11 Global Shopping Festival, an online shopping event in China that has since expanded worldwide.
The retailer said that the gala will be broadcast by Zhejiang Satellite TV and feature title sponsorship by personal-care firm Shanghai Jahwa.
“Alibaba Group single-handedly created the iconic 11.11 shopping festival in China seven years ago, to unlock the power of the Chinese consumer,” commented Chris Tung, chief marketing officer of Alibaba Group.
“Today, 11.11 has become not only a day for China to shop for deals, but truly a festival where people all over China and the world gather to celebrate a new and improved lifestyle, as well as a world of fun and opportunities made possible because of technology – namely the Internet, mobile, and Big Data.”
Last year’s 11.11 Global Shopping Festival saw some $14.3 billion worth of transactions settled through Alibaba’s payment portal, Alipay.
© 2016 European Supermarket Magazine – your source for the latest retail news. Article by Stephen Wynne-Jones. To subscribe to ESM: The European Supermarket Magazine, click here.